Lock.



No. 734,541. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903. 0. H. P. GREEN & 1). CARPENTER.

LOOK.

APPLICATION rum) mm. 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I E 5- WITNESSES: M W g INVENTORS.

PATENTEDVJULY 2a, 1903. 0. Pa. GREEN & 1). CARPENTER.

LOOK.

Arzmouloi FILED ran. 1.0;,1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

I1 jill]- WITNESSES M THE "owns warms c0, PHoTp-uwo. wAsHmqTon o c.

' Nrrnn STATES Fatented July as, 1903.

PAT NT ()FFICE.

OLIVER H. P. GREEN AND DELOS CARPENTER, OF ORION, MICHIGAN.

.l-QCK.

SPECIFICATION fuming part Of Letters Patent No. 734,541, dated July 28,1903.

I Application filed February 10, 1903. Serial No. 142,722. (No model-lTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OLIVER H. P. GREEN and DELOs CARPENTER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Orion, county of Oakland, State ofMichigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Locks,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention has for its object novel looking mechanism, the same beingmore particularly designed and adapted as a keyboardcontrolled lockfor-post-office boxes, although we do not limit our invention to anyspecific use to which it may be applied, as we contemplate as comingwithin the scope of our invention any use to which the mechanism may beput. We will, however, describe the same as more specifically applied toa postoflice box; and. our invention consists of theconstruction,combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I vFigure 1 is a view in side-elevation, showing parts in vertical section.Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation from the side opposite that shown inFig. 1, showing parts of the box in section. Fig. 3 is a view incross-section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view invertical longitudinal section on the line 4 4, Fig. 7. Fig.5 is avertical cross-section on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. tail View similar toFig. 4: in vertical longitudinal section, showing features of our in-.

vention, the pinion on the shaft being out of mesh with the teeth of.the swinging housing. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of portions of thelock mechanism with parts of the casing or supporting-frame removed.Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating means for operating the lookby a button on a keyboard. Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation of apostoffice box to which our invention is applied. Fig. 10 is a view invertical section through the box, showing the front of the box' to whichour invention is applied in rear elevation. 1

As applied to post-office boxes it is wellknown that it is desirable forvarious reasons to have lock-boxes; but where lock- Fig. 6 is anotherdeboxes are employed it often occurs that the party renting thebox has1e tor lost his key and he is therefore obliged .to call upon thepost-ofiice employee to deliver to him the contents of his box. Ourinvention aims to provide a box-lock of simple and economicalconstruction and of superior utility whereby the lock is always underthe ready and convenient control of the post-office oliicial and wherebythe key may constantly remain in the look, if preferred, or it may beremoved therefrom, if desired, the key if remaining in the lock beingsecured against displacement by any party'to whom it does not belong,the lock being under the control of the postal official preferably bymeans-of a buttonor analogous device upon a keyboard arranged in anyconvenient position as, forexample, within easy ieach of thedelivery-window.

While we have shown our invention as applied to a couple of boxes, thecontrolling mechanism of said boxes being led to or connected with abutton on a keyboard, we would have it definitely understood that themechanism may be duplicated as may be desired, our inventioncontemplating as coming within its scope the equipment of all the boxesof will readily be seen that an office equipped with such mechanism willgreatly facilitate the delivery of mail, will save labor, and at thesame time secure to every one renting a box absolute security of hismail. Our invention is of such a nature that a party wishing his mailneed simply to give the number of his box to the postal oflicial,whereupon the said official can readily by means of his keyboard openthe box of corresponding number, the buttons or keys upon" the keyboardbeing numbered to correspond with thevarious boxes, respectively. Y

Our invention therefore is designed to pro-.

vide a lock and a lock-box wherein the key may or may not be removedtherefrom, according to the wishes of the postal official and the partyrenting the box, the key being utilized or not, as may be preferred, thelock being, as above observed, always under the 0011- trol of the postalofficial, if so desired.

We carry out our invention as follows: In the drawings, a represents abox, the same being provided with a door I), jointedly connectedtherewith, said door being controlled by our improved mechanism. Thelock is provided with a support or framework, (indicated at 0,) which issecured inside the box and preferably at one of the upper cornersthereof above the swinging door. A key (Z is provided, having the outerend thereof, if retained in the lock, projecting through saidsupporting-frame and through the adjacent end of the box to the outsidethereof. Within the casing or supporting-frame is a locking-bolt 6,preferably made reciprocatory and which may be restored to normalposition in any suitable manner, as by a spring f. Oonnected with saidlocking-bolt is a bell-crank leverg, suitably fulcrumed, as at h, in thesupporting framework or casing, having one end thereof engaged with saidlocking-bolt in any suitable manner, the locking-bolt preferably beingformed with an elongated orifice to receive theadjacent endof thebell-crank,so that the locking-bolt may have a movement independently ofthe bell-cran k, if desired. The locking-bolt may beheld inreciprocatory en gagement with'the casing in any suitable manner. \Viththe opposite end of the bellcrank we connect an operating-rod or similardevice 2', by means of which when said operating-rod is actuated thebell-crank will be manipulated to disengage the locking-bolt. Thebell-crank may be automatically restored to position in any suitablemanner, as by a springj. Within the casing c is abracket 7t,

7 within which is pivotally or jointedly engaged a swinging housing orstirrup Z, provided with a keyhole-orifice m to register with thekeyhole-orifice a in the case 0 when in proper position so to do, theswinging housing, however, being so constructed and arranged that thekeyhole-orifice may be swung out of registrable position with thekeyhole-orifice of the case, so that when so swung out of registrableposition the key if in the lock cannot be removed therefrom or wherebyif the key is out of the lock it cannot be engaged in the lock untilsaid housing is swung into position so that its keyhole-orifice willregister with the keyhole-orifice of the case by the postal official.One arm or side of said housing is toothed, as indicated at p. W'ithinsaid. inclosing case is also engaged a reciprocatory bar (1, providedwith a pinion 'r at one end thereof to engage with the toothed portionof the swinging housing when in position so to do and whereby when insuch engagement the housing may be swung into and out of normalposition, as may be desired. The bar or rod q is extended to the innerend of the post-office box within reach of the postal official, so thathe can move the same in or out readily, as may be desired, to engage itspinion with the toothed portion of the swinging housing or to disengagethe pinion, as may be desired. Said bar and its pinion are constructedand arranged in such a manner that when the pinion is moved out of meshwith the toothed portion of the housing the key cannot unlock thelocking-bolt. The locking-bolt is preferably provided with a spur or pin8 to be engaged by the key when the key is free to operate to depressthe locking-bolt. It will be seen, however, that when the rod and itspinion are moved out of mesh with the toothed portion of the housing itis projected into the path of the movement of the key toward said pinionor spur, so that the key cannot manipulate the locking-bolt. It will beevident that since the swinging housing is entirely under the control ofthe postal official by means of said bar (1 and its pinion the oliicialhas full control of the boxes, so that the key can neither be insertedor removed without his consent or without his attention. Neither can theparty renting the box insert the key without the consent of the postalofficial, norif the key were inserted could he actuate the look withoutthe consent of the official. It is apparentforlike reasons that the lockcan never be picked nor could it be manipulated even by a duplicate key.The rod connected with the bell-crank above mentioned is designed to beled to a keyboard or analogous device and connected with either a pushor pull button by suitable intervening mechanism, so that by pushing orpulling the button the locking-bolt can readily be manipulated. Thebutton mechanism connected with said rod may either be made single ordouble acting, as may be desired. In Fig. 8 we have shown single-actingmechanism consisting, essentially, of a bellcrank a, connected with abutton c at one end and with said bar at the opposite end. In Fig. 8also we have shown a doubleacting mechanism wherein an additional leverto inter venes.

On the inner end of the box we preferably locate a dial a), the bar qbeing provided with an index-finger y to traverse said dial. Anysuitable means maybe employed to hold the index-finger in a givenposition on the dial, if desired.

The operation of our invention will now be understood, and it will beseen that various conditions may be secured thereby: First, the renterof the box may or may not take his key out of the box; second, his keymay remain in the lock and cannot be removed therefrom except by theconsent of the postal offlcial; third, the key cannot unlock the boxexcept by the consent and proper action of the postal official; fourth,the postal official may at all times unlock the box with or without theconsent of the renter.

It will be seen that no man need to carry hiskey unless he so desiresand at the same time his mail may be under the control of the lock. ,l

By providing all the boxes of a given office with our improved mechanismthe postal official can deliver to every one his mail by simply touchingthe proper button on the key board.

Should it be mutually agreed between the renter and postal official, thekey may of course be removed and the renter be priyileged at any time tounlock his box without the intervention of the postal official. Theswinging housing has one of its arms fulcrumed upon a post or pin z, thekey passing through the opposite arm of the housing, the housingswingingupon the key when in place.

It will readily be seen that this look may be .used also as aburglar-proof look upon doors and the like. Upon a door, for example, a

' party inside the room by simply pushing in the bar (1 to throw itspinion out of mesh with the swinging housing can prevent any possibilityof a party unlocking the locking-bolt.

What We claim as our invention is 1. A lock comprising a support or caseopen at its inner end and provided with a keyholeorifice in its outerend, a locking-bolt to be operated by a key, additional means accessiblefrom the inner end of the case to actuate said bolt, a swinging stirrupwithin the casing provided with a keyhole in one side thereofregistrable with the keyhole of the casing, and means to actuate saidstirrup.

2. A look comprising a support or case provided with a keyhole-orificein the outer end or side thereof, a locking-bolt to be operated by a keyinserted in said orifice, a swinging device provided with a keyholeregistrable with the keyhole of the casing, means accessible from theinner or opposite side of the casing to actuate said device, andadditional means accessible from the inner side of the casing to actuatesaid locking-bolt.

3. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice, a lockingbolt to be actuated bya key, additional meansto actuate said locking-bolt,controllin g mech anism to control theremoval or insertion of the key provided with a keyhole registrable withthe keyhole of the casing, and means of actuating said controllingmechanism.

at. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice in its outer end, a locking-bolt to be operated by akey, additional means extending through the inner end of the casing toactuate the lockingbolt, mechanism to control the removal or insertionof the key registrable with the keyhole of the casing, and means tocontrol the operation of said mechanism.

5. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice, a lockingbolt to be operated by a key, a swingingdevice provided With a keyhole registrablo with the keyhole of thecasing to control the removal or insertion of the key, a keyboard,

and means connected with the keyboard to actuate said locking-bolt.

6.. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice in its outer end, a locking-bolt to be operated by akey, a bracket within the casing, a swinging device provided with akeyholeregistrable with the keyhole of the casing housed within thebracket, and means journaled in said bracket to actuate said device. l

7. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with a keyhole, alocking-bolt to be actuated by a key, a swinging device to control theremoval or insertion of the key provided with a keyhole registrable withthe keyhole of the casing, and a shaft geared with said swinging deviceto actuate said device.

8. A lockcomprising a support or casing provided with a keyhole, alocking-bolt to be actuated by a key, a swinging device to control theremoval or insertion of the key provided with a keyhole registrable withthe keyhole of the casing, a shaft geared with said swinging device toactuate said device, and additional means to actuate said lockingbolt.

9. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with a keyhole, alocking-bolt to be actuated by a key, a toothed swinging device providedwith a keyhole registrable with the keyhole of the casing, areciprocatory bar provided with a pinion registrable with the toothedportion of the said swinging device, said bar arranged to move itspinion into and too out of mesh with the toothed portion of the swingingdevice.

10. A look comprising a support or casing provided with a keyhole, alocking-bolt to be actuated by a key, a toothed swinging'device providedwith a keyhole registrable with the keyhole of the casing, areciprocatory bar provided with a pinion registrable with the toothedportion of the said swinging device, said bar arranged to move itspinioninto and out of mesh with the toothed portion of the swingingdevice, said bar when moved out of toothed engagement with the swingingdevice moved into the path of the engagement of the key with thelocking-bolt.

11. A lock comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice, a lockingbolt to be operated by a key, a bell-crank toactuate the locking-bolt, means to actuate the bellcrank, a swingingstirrup within the case provided with a keyhole in one side thereofregistrable with the keyhole of the casing, and means carried with theother arm of said stirrup to actuate the stirrup."

12. A look comprising a support or casing provided with a keyhole, alocking-bolt to be actuated by a key, a toothed swinging device providedwith a keyhole registrable with the keyhole of the casing, areciprocatory bar provided with a pinion registrable with the toothedportion of the said swinging device,

said bar arranged to move its pinion into and out of mesh with thetoothed portion of the swinging device, said bar when moved out oftoothed engagement with the swinging device preventing the turning ofthe key.

13. A look comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice, a lockingbolt to be actuated by a key, controllingmechanism to control the removal or insertion of the key provided with akeyhole registralole with the keyhole of the casing, means to actuatesaid controlling mechanism, a pushbutton, and means connecting thepush-button with the locking-bolt to actuate said locking-bolt.

1&. A look comprising a support or casing provided with akeyhole-orifice, a lockingbolt to be actuated by a key, mechanism toOLIVER 1-1. P. GREEN. DELOS CARPENTER.

Witnesses: V

N. S. WRIGHT, M. M. STRUBLE.

